Conveyer for curved stereotype printing-plates.



. c. E. HOPKINS. CONVEYER FOR CURVED STEREOTYFE PRINTING PL NOV-80,1917-Patented- Dec.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.28. I912. RENEWED 1,286,883.

77 @Iaa/Zfes c. E. HOPKINS. CONVEYER FOR CURVED STEREOTYPE PRINTINGPLAIT 'YE S.

APPLICATION FILED OCLZB. l9l2- RENEWED NOV- 30.19".

Patented Dec. 3,1918.

i a SHEETS-JSHEET 2 adorme q UNITE sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. HOPKINS, or PLAINFIEILD, NEW JERSEY.

I GONVEYER roaotmven STEREOTY'PE PRINTING-PLATEg Specification ofLetters Patent. 7

Y Application filed oetoberas; 1912, Serial No; 7222149. RenewedNovember 30, 1917. Serial No; 204,753?)- To all whom z 't m ay concern:

Be it known that-I, CHARLES E. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States,formerly residing at .New York, in the county of New York and State ofNew York, but later residing at Plainfield county of Union, and State ofNew Jerse have invented a new and useful Conveyer for-CurvedStereotypePrintingaPlates, of which the following is a specification. v Thisinvention relates to means. for. delivermg a curved stereotype printingplate thatv is cast in vertical position in a straight line to ahorizontal finishing means with its to apply the concave side oftheplate to a convex side up. I

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a simple form ofconveying device adapted to receive a semi-cylindrical plate in positionwith its convex side down and turn it over into a reverse position so asrotarv finishing cylinder 'axiallv alined with the plate can be given ation; and to provlde means in connection therewith for supportingandautomatically releasing itrwhen it rests onthe cylinder so as topermitthe'conveyingmeans to be moved back in position for receiving anotherplate. Further features andadvantages of the invention will appearhereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 isaside elevation ofa casting and finishing machine showing a preferredform of this. invention applied thereto with the conveying frame partway. between its two extreme positions and a part of the front sideframe removed; r

*Fig. 2 is aplan of the same showing the conveying frame at itsextremelposition in the casting back with part of the finishing cylinderbroken away to show details of construction Fig. 3 is an end viewthereof showingthe driving mechanism and Fig.4 is an end view.with'pai't-offthe frame removed to "show the way in which the plate isdelivered to the finishing cylinder and released.

The invention is shown as used in connection with a casting mechanism ofa form which is not shown herein in full as it forms the subject matterof. my Patent1 268,463, dated June 4, 1918 on'a machinefor makingstereotype printing plates.

vertical stationary v convex face of the core which is supported byrollers D and E operating on tracks F and frames of the base, and ateach side of the core. As set forth in my above mentioned applicationthe movement of this back to-' ward thecore causes the rollers E toru'ndown the vertically inelinedtracksiG and the .rollers D to run along thehorizontal track F. This causes the back to turn from horizontalposition to a vertical the core in position for casting. The means forholding the parts in this position is not shown herein ent invention.After a plate is cast the operator turns the back away from the coreinto horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1. ccording to the presentinvention this concave back is provided with a'transverse shaft 10 atone end and at the top thereof when itis in horizontal position. On thisshaft is fixed a plate conveying'frame contion of the handle 12 thereon,against the concave back so as to liealong the straight sides thereof.These side members are joined together at the end opposite the shaftby-a half ring 13 which is providedwith the usual bevel for forming'abevel at the bottom of, the plate when cast. A thin metal pouring sheet15 is arranged on the, conveying frame near the shaft 10 so as tooverlap a portion of the concavity of the back as is well understood inthe art.

I Each of the side members of the conveying frame is provided with ahinged casting bar '16 for the purpose of forming the side walls betweenthe core and back, and also for the purpose of holding the straightedgesof the matrix in position in the cast ing chamber. It will be seenthat when the parts are in position in the backthese side members engagethe straight edgesv of the plate and when the lever 12 is operated toswing the frame and plate over as indicated in Fig. 1, these sidemembers are prevented from swinging on their hinges by the plate itself.Consequently, they support the plate during its swinging motion after itpasses vertical position; When this operation is performed the matrixofcourse is is a concave ba'ck C one against G formed on the sideillustrated herein,

' table horizontal to'injure the type left inthe back ordinarily.carrying osition the plate,

Y When the plate This automat1cally frees them from the plate and theconveying frame can be swung back, immediately, leaving the plateresting on the finishing cylinder. The axis of the cylinder H is inalinement with the axis of V the back when in delivering position.

The finishing mechanism illustrated is driven by a driving pulley '30 ona main shaft 31; This pulley is connected with the shaft by clutchjaws'32 and 33, one fixed to the shaft and the other to the pulley: Astarting bar-.34 is provided pivoted at 35 and provided with a pin 36entering a groove in the clutch jaw 32 on the pulley for swinging theclutch jaw into engagement'withthe other one and starting the shaft.Unthis shaft is a worm 37 which meshes with a-worm gear 38:fixed to theaxle of the cylinder to drive it directly.

F;ast on'the' driving shaft is a bevel gear 40 meshing with a smallerbevel gear 4:1 fixed to a horizontal saw shaft 42 on which is atail-cutting saw 43 located so as to separate the tail portion of theplate from the type portion as the cylinder revolves with the'platethereon. i

For the purpose of holding the plate against the cylinder while beingrevolved there areprovided a series of freely rotarollers 46 located atthe proper distance from the face of the cylin; der to engage the faceof the stereotype plate and support it against the cylinder during itsrotation. These rollers are covered with felt 56 or other yieldingsubstance so as not face of the plate. the purpose of holding the plateon the cyl inder and permitting it to be rotated in this way, thecylinder is provided with a set of tapered pins adapted to entertapered' holes 4L7 in the under side of the cast plate formed by'taperedpins 48 on the convex face of thecoref j ''When the rotation of thecylinder is co1npleted, a pin 50 on the face of the worm gear 38 comesinto contact witha projection 51 formed on the starting bar34 and movesthe starting bar back to inoperative position, therebystopping themachine. c

It will beundersto0d,of course, that this invention can be used withother types of casting and finishing machinesthan those and 1 that manychanges in theldetails of construction :can be made within the scope ofthe claims.- Therefore frame reaches a reverse'horizontal' mechanism tosaid for .swingingthe plate over end For anism comprising averticalipla'ne as I do not wish to be limited in these respects butwhat I do claim is z;

1. The combination with means'for supporting a curved stereotypeprinting plate with the concave side up, of means in axial alinementtherewlth for receiving said plate with the concave side down, and meansfor moving the plate fromtheifirst namedmeans tothe'second V 2. Thecomb'nation with port for a curved stereotype; casting of' a plateconveying frame pivoted on a transverse and movable about its pivot fromthe support to 'a position in axial alinement with the support fordelivering the fplate therefrom. Iv i v 3. The combination with acasting mech-" anism having meansfor delivering aplate in horizontalposition with its concave side plate, I x

axis to one end of said support V up, and a finishing mechanism having afinishing cylinder. the axis of said cylinder being in alinement withthe axis of the plate when ready for delivery from the castingmechanism, and means for moving the'plate from the casting cylinder. 5

trThe combinationwith a casting inachine adapted to deliver a curvedstereotype printing plate V in horizontal position with its concave sideup,

and a finishing for rece1v1ng the plate, 1

machine in axial alinement therewith adapted to receive the curved platewith its concave side. down, of means for swinging the plate over on atransverse axis at its end from the casting mechanism to the finishingmechanism and depositing it onithe latter.

5. The combination with a device for casting "a'curved stereotypeprinting plate in vertical position' and turning it over to horizontalposition with its concave side up, and a finishing 7 machine inalinement endwise with the position of'the plate when turned away fromthe casting position, of means for end from said vertical position intothe. finishing machine. I i

6. The combination with movable concave back, and means for supportingthe back 'in horizontal" position with-its concave side up, a

finishing cylinder having its axis'in the same the axis of said back forreceiving a concave plate on its cylindrical surface in 'alinement withsaid back, and means for swinginga plate from the'back to the cylinderand leaving it thereon, means comprising'a end of said casting rest inthe back during the casting operation.

7. The combination with a casting mechframe pivoted 'to the i re acasting mech-i said back and adapted to anism'compnsing a movableconcave back,

and means for supporting. the back in horizontal position with itsconcave side up, of

afinishingcylinderfor receiving a concave means for receiving said plateon its cylindrical surface in longitudinal alinement with said back, aframe pivoted to the end of said back and adapted to rest in the backduring the casting operation and to swing into position over saidcylinder, and longitudinally hinged oppositely swinging casting bars atthe edges thereof adapted to support the plate While the frame swingsover the cylinder.

8. The combination with a concave support for a curved stereotypeprinting plate, of a plate conveying frame pivoted to one end of saidsupport and movable about its pivot from the support to a position inalinement with the support for delivering the plate therefrom, saidframe being provided with a pair of bars longitudinally andindependently hinged to its straight edges for resting on the platewhileon said sup port and supporting the plate when the frame moves overto reverse position.

9. The combination with a concave support for a curved stereotypeprinting plate, of a plate conveying frame pivoted to one end of saidsupport and'movable about its pivot from the support to a position inalinement with the a cast plate therefrom, said frame being providedwith a pair of bars longitudinally and separately hinged to its straightedges for resting on the plate while on said support and supporting theplate when the frame moves over to reverse position, and a cylindricalmember for receiving the plate in position to support the weight of theplate as the frame moves into its horizontal position and release saidbars so as to permit them to swing downwardly on their hinges. 10. Thecombination of a pivoted plate carrying'frame for carrying asemi-cylindrical stereotype printing plate having a pair of barslongitudinally and individually hinged thereto bars and adapted toproject up into the frame to support the edges of a plate, and platefrom the frame when it is turned over to horizontal position andsupporting the plate whereby Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. 0."

support for delivering at the end of the travel at the outer edges ofsaid said bars will be released from the plate and swing downwardly bygravity about their inges.

11. The combination with a support for a stereotype printing plate, of aplate conveying frame pivoted to said support and movable about itspivot from the support to a position for delivering the plate therefrom,said frame being provided with a pair of bars longitudinally andindependently hinged to its edges resting on the plate while on saidsupport and supporting the plate when the frame moves over to reverseposition, said bars being arranged to swing inwardly toward each otherby gravity.

12. The combination with a supportfor a printing plate, of a plateconveying frame arranged to be turned over, said frame having a pair ofplate supporting bars hinged thereto along their outer edges and capableof being swung inwardly to engage and hold the plate when the frameisturned over, said'bars normally swinging down by gravity out of contactwith the plate when the frame is inverted and the plate is otherwisesupported.

13. The combination with a support for a printing plate, of a plateconveying frame arranged to be turned over, said frame havingapair ofparallel plate supporting bars independently hinged thereto along theirouter edges and capable of being swung inwardly to engage and hold theplate when the frame is turned over, whereby the plate holds the barsfrom swinging downwardly, and means in position for receiving the plateof the frame, relieving the bars from the weight of the plate, andfreeing them, whereby they will automatically swing down.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 7 my hand, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

B. M. S'roEBER, BLODWIN W. J oNEs.

commissioner of Patents,

